Following some of President Trump’s harshest criticism, Attorney General Jeff Sessions lashed out in a statement this afternoon, confirming that the Justice Department “will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.”

During an interview with Fox News, President Trump criticized the attorney general yet again for his recusal from the Russian collusion probe, and took aim more broadly at the Justice Department:

“Even my enemies say that, ‘Jeff Sessions should have told you he was going to recuse himself, and then you wouldn’t have put him in,’” Trump said in an interview that aired Thursday.

“He was on the campaign. You know, the only reason I gave him the job was because I felt loyalty,” Trump said. “He was an original supporter.”

Additionally, Trump said in the interview that Sessions “never took control of the Justice Department.”

“All of my people, they’re doing incredibly. But the whole thing with — going on with the Justice and FBI — when you see Strzok and his lover, Lisa Page, when you see Comey with all the lies that he’s told, when you see Mueller with the conflicts,” Trump said.

“He’s, he’s so conflicted. Comey’s his best friend. He had a really nasty business transaction with me, which he never reported. I’ve been talking about it; he never reports it. I mean, you look at the bad things.”

Fwd to around 10:30:

All of which sparked an angry response in a rare statement from AG Sessions:

As The Hill reports, Sessions defended his leadership of the Justice Department, which has come under increasing attack from the president and his allies.

“While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.I demand the highest standards, and where they are not met, I take action,” Sessions said in a direct response to Trump’s interview on Fox.

“However, no nation has a more talented, more dedicated group of law enforcement investigators and prosecutors than the United States,” Sessions said.

Not the standard kow-towing response that we often hear from Trump’s administration when rebuked. Undoubtedly this response will not sit well with Trump and we anxiously await his response.